Stellwagen Bank Final EIS and Management Plan 



Page 97 



OCS leases. The MMS is also responsible for 

 management of exploration and development 

 activities connected with the extraction of 

 submerged industrial materials, such as sand and 

 gravel deposits. The conduct of those activities is 

 also subject to the provisions of the OCSLA. 



Coast Guard units operating in this region are 

 responsible for regulation of vessel traffic, 

 maintenance of boater safety, and coordination of 

 search and rescue operations. Additionally, the 

 Coast Guard is responsible for enforcement of 

 fishing regulations; enforcement of regulations 

 under the Clean Water Act and the Comprehensive 

 Environmental Response, Compensation, and 

 Liability Act (CERCLA), which addresses the 

 prevention of pollution caused by vessel discharge of 

 oil, hazardous substances, or other pollutants. The 

 First Coast Guard District Office is located in 

 Boston, and Coast Guard stations are situated at 

 Boston Harbor, Gloucester, Scituate, Sandwich, 

 Merrimack River, Provincetown, Cape Cod Air 

 Station (at Otis Air Force Base), and Woods Hole. 



B. State Agencies 



The Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management 

 Act, (Ch. 21A; Reg. 310 CMR 20.00 et seq.V 

 passed in 1978, established the Coastal Zone 

 Management Office, housed within the 

 Massachixsetts Executive Office of Environmental 

 Affairs (EOEA). The Massachusetts Coastal Zone 

 Management Office exercises widespread authorities 

 over activities conducted within the Stated three- 

 mile jurisdiction, as well as over activities occurring 

 outside this jurisdiction that have an effect in the 

 State S coastal zone. 



The Commonwealth of Massachusetts asserts 

 jurisdiction in State waters in Cape Cod Bay and 

 Massachusetts Bay, within the southwestern Gulf of 

 Maine. As part of an overall effort to provide a 

 system-approach to ocean management, the 

 Commonwealth has established a system of Ocean 

 Sanctuaries in these waters (M.G.L.C. 132 A §§13- 

 16 and 18). The boundaries of some of these State- 

 designated Ocean Sanctuaries occur adjacent to 

 waters presently being considered for National 

 Marine Sanctuary designation. Additionally, the 

 Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Office 



houses the Massachusetts Bays Program, which 

 seeks to identify and conduct needed research and 

 educational activities in designated bay areas to 

 improve their environmental quality. As noted 

 earlier, EPA has recently approved the inclusion of 

 Massachusetts Bay into the National Estuary 

 Program, thereby increasing the prospects of 

 effective protection efforts through direct Federal 

 support and coordination activities. 



The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), 

 within the EOEA, is responsible for the 

 management of commercial and recreational fishing 

 activities within State waters, in cooperation with 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). 

 The DMF also participates in the management of 

 fisheries in Federal waters, and has authority to 

 enforce fishery regulations as promulgated under 

 Fishery Management Plans developed by the New 

 England Fishery Management Council, and as 

 approved by NMFS. The DMF sits on the New 

 England Fishery Management Council. 



The Board of Underwater Archaeological 

 Resources is also housed within the EOEA, and is 

 responsible for the preservation and management of 

 underwater historical, cultural and archeological 

 resoiu^ces within Commonwealth waters. 



The activities and regulatory controls under 

 existing authorities and programs will continue as 

 presently administered. In addition, a 



comprehensive, long-term management scheme for 

 the Stellwagen Bank environment will be be 

 developed and implemented. 



Section II: Designation of a National Marine 

 Sanctuary (Preferred Alternative) 



Note to Reviewers : As previously discussed, P.L. 

 102-587 (§2202) designates the Stellwagen Bank 

 National Marine Sanctuary. Therefore, NOAAS 

 preferred alternative to designate the Sanctuary has 

 been Congressionally mandated and signed into law. 

 Discussions following related to specific boundary 

 and regulatory alternatives are consistent with this 

 Congressional action, and have been edited 

 accordingly. 



NOAA 's preferred alternative is 



